Wire-cloth fan for the destruction of insects



, 1v1..vla'fv-Lmz.` U Wire-'Cloth Fan for-'the Destruction of Inseets.

No1-27,706; Patented May 1s, 1880;.-

PATENT OFFICE.

MORSE K. TAYLOR, (UNITED STATES ARMY,) OF SAN ANTONIQTEXAS.

WIRE-CLOTH FAN lFon THE DESTRUCTION OF INSE'CTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 227,706, dated May 18, 1880. Application led January 5, 1880.

To all whom 'it may concern: y

Be it known that I, MORSE K.4 TAYLOR, an officer of the Army ofthe United States, now temporarily stationed in the city of San Antonio, in thecounty of Bexar, in the State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Wire- Cloth Fan for the Destruction of Insects, such as flies, gnats, and mosquitoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the destruction of flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and other insects by the employment of a fan made of wire gauze or cloth, to be used like an ordinary fan when the person is annoyed by these insects.

The ordinary fans are defective for purposes of this kind by reason of being opaque, and, shutting oiithe light, they attract the attentionot" such insects, and thereby give notice of danger, or by carrying with them a considerable amount of air, (creating necessary cur- .rents,) and which, when moved, drive the insects away unharmed by the blow, thereby enabling them to return for further annoyance of the person.

By the use of the wire cloth or gauze these defects are removed, the meshes ot the fan being so open as to permit the free passage of air andlight through the fan, so that it casts but little shadow, and therefore is not noticeable by the insect, while it is easily caught in the meshes and killed or disabled by the blow.

The object of my invention is to kill or disable the insect.

The invention therefore consists in the construction of fans of wire gauze or cloth cut' much after the form of fans in common use,

and mounted on flexible handles, so as to be yielding and elastic, with the edge doubleturned, compressed tightly, and then bound with a soft covering like felt, soft leather, or velvet, so as to prevent any injury'by scratching.

Also, it consists, in part, in the arranging of the fan on the handle, which admits of freedom of motion of the wire-gauze on the handle, so that when bent it may return to its original position instead of remaining permanently flexed or set The accompanying drawing will indicate the general form of the fan and the arrangement on the handle and the binding ofthe border. v

A is the handle, of flexible and elastic material, like the bamboo or rattan, slit through the middle to near the part used for the handle to admit the wire-cloth, and gradually diminished toward the ends, so as to be yielding under a gentle pressure or strain. Into the slit the wire-cloth is introduced and fastened by one or two rivets, c a, near the handle for a fixed support, while to the more iiexible portion it is held by loops b b b, so adjusted as to allow of free sliding on the wire when bent, and then returning to its original position. i

B is the wire gauze or cloth body cut in the usual form. The edge has been folded twice and closely compressed in order to bring the ends of the wire between and within the meshes, so that they cannot penetrate the soft covering and scratch the skin of the person using it. Y

(l is the binding, made of soft leather, chamois skin, velvet, or other soft material to prevent injury when coming in contact .with the surface of the face or other partsof the person.

The use or operation of the fan consists, simply, in giving a quick, short (blow, as is done with other fans,) either when the insect is on the wing or at rest, when it is caught in the meshes of the wire-gauze and killed or disabled.v v

I am aware that racket-bats for sporting purposes composed of a handle terminating differs from these devices, being composed of wire netting provided with a binding around its edge of some soft material, to prevent injury to the face when coming in contact therewith, and having a handle of flexible and elastic material, as described.

What'I claim is- .in an oval frame, which is crossed by silk A fan for the destruction of insects,consistl ing of a body entire of wire-gauze, having a binding of soft material, and provided with a lexible and elastic handle, as described.

' AMORSE K. TAYLOR. Witnesses:

SAM. S. SMITH, Trios. S. HARRISON. 

